Purpose of reviewDiabetic kidney disease (DKD) is a significant health concern. Innovative strategies to prevent or limit the progression of DKD are urgently needed due to the limitation of existing treatments. KCa3.1, a potassium channel, is involved in a range of biological processes from cell survival to cell death. This review summarizes the current knowledge on the pathophysiological functions of the KCa3.1 channel, specifically its involvement in maintaining mitochondrial function. More specifically, the therapeutic potential of targeting KCa3.1 in DKD is systematically discussed in the review.
Recent findingsMitochondrial dysfunction contributes to the development and progression of DKD. Accumulating evidence indicates that KCa3.1 dysregulation plays a crucial role in mitochondrial dysfunction, in addition to driving cellular activation, proliferation and inflammation. Recent studies demonstrate that KCa3.1 deficiency improves diabetes-induced mitochondrial dysfunction in DKD, which is attributed to modulation of mitochondrial quality control through mitigating the altered mitochondrial dynamics and restoring abnormal BNIP3-mediated mitophagy.